OSA Sketch Challenge Layout #91

I have a quick post today for this week's OSA Sketch Challenge Layout #91. I used a Penny Black brush flower stamp as my main image, the background I stamped it on is a technique from one of the Technique Junkie Newsletters, sorry I don't remember what it's called as I made it some time ago. The greeting stamp is an EK Success one. I used an Asian Cuttlebug embossing folder and also embossed the black cardstock strip with a polka dot border folder and added some green grosgrain ribbon over it. Also used a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, the green cardstock is Bazzil, the embossed cardstock is Stampin' Up Creamy Caramel, the black is Pedigree Paper.

Thanks so much for looking, I have to run now, I'm off to the local Sunday Market. Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend, it's back to Wintry weather again here, brrr!

Oriental Fan Card.

Here is a quick card I made for OSA's Card Layout Challenge #70. It's a very simple design with either Mizhuiki cord or a 3D embellishment added. I used a die-cut from DCWV Far East range, and because OSA is a stamping group I added a stamped border of Hero Arts fans on the top and bottom of the background paper - they're a bit hard to see as I used an ink (Versacolor Cinnamon) close to the colour of the paper for just a subtle image. I added some red fibres to my fan die-cut and layered it on grey corrugated cardstock.

Two Oriental challenges.

Just a quickie post tonight, I'm a little late getting these done, but here they are! The first card is for OSA's theme challenge, 'Asian Vases'. I used an old Inkadinkado stamp, which I coloured with Sakura Souffle pens. The pink and white background is another of the Technique Junkies 'Simple Whitewash' technique.



The 2nd card is for OSA's card layout challenge #59. The butterfly and quote stamps are by Darkroom Door, the Oriental calligraphy is by Stonehouse Stamps and the blossom branch is by Cards Unlimited.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Love is in the air!

Here's my card for this week's OSA Card Layout Challenge #56, an Oriental Valentine theme. You'll have to forgive my awful photo, my camera wouldn't play nicely with the red and black colours!

Are you wondering what I used to make the heart die-cut? I used plumber's weatherproofing tape, it's called 'Bear Flashtac weatherproofing tape' and comes with adhesive already on the back of it. It's quite thick though, so had to use the C plate in my Cuttlebug with the heart die, it was too thick for the B plate. The surface is like aluminium foil, so I used some alcohol inks on it for a polished stone look. I used one of my Asian Bundle embossing folders for the black background and added a strip of black and gold washi paper and some spotted black and white ribbon.

Oops, just realised there's no stamping on the card!

Oriental Challenges

I received some new toys in the mail during the week, Cuttlebug's Asian Bundle embossing folders, thanks to my OSA friend Sandra who was able to send them on to me from the US......unfortunately they aren't available here in Australia. Here's two cards I've made with them.

I think this embossing folder might just be my favourite one, I love this pattern. I used some forgotten supplies to highlight the embossing - some gold metallic rub-on! Just dipped my finger in and it goes over the embossing easily. This challenge was to use an Oriental crane, that's the bird variety, as the theme. I used a crane stamp from Art Neko, stamped it on mulberry tissue and coloured the body with white Twinkling H2O's and an orange gel pen for the legs. The gold kanji peel-off is the symbol for luck. FYI Cranes are symbols of longevity and peace in Chinese culture. In Japan, the crane stands for long life and good luck - I think I can use some of the crane's good luck and long life right now!



I used a different embossing folder for the second card, this is for OSA's card layout challenge #55. I turned the sketch on it's side, the circles are chipboard coaster pieces from SEI's poppy range, the kanji writing down the side is a stamp by Rubber Stamp Ave The embossed layer is done on Core'dinations cardstock, which I've sanded back...but in hindsight I probably shouldn't have sanded it as it looks too busy to me!

Thanks again for visiting!

Oriental beauty.

Well, the heatwave goes on here....the top temp hit 44C yesterday, and overnight was an equal record minimum temp of 30.6C....and that happened at 8.46am! I had the air conditioner running when I went to bed, but wouldn't you know it, we had a power blackout just after midnight! Fortunately the outage only lasted for a couple of hours, but it was still a shocker for sleeping much! Today was supposed to be cooler, but they've now upgraded that forecast to 40C.....ack!

The good thing is that it's been too hot to do much of anything, so I had another play with my Copic Markers and created this card for the OSA Card Layout Challenge #53. I took a little artistic licence with the sketch as I wanted to show a bit more of the lovely washi paper.

The beautiful Oriental stamp is by Stamp-It, an Aussie company, the gold triangle pieces are from a Cuttlebug die set. Also used a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, the butterflies have holographic stickers applied to the wings, and a gold kanji peel-off. The kanji is the symbol for beautiful.

I still need more practice with the Copic Markers, don't look too closely as I bled outside the lines....need to get that blender pen soon I think! Thanks for stopping by today!

OSA Sketch Layout #30

I haven't done one of the OSA Card Layout challenges for a few weeks, and this one certainly is a challenge! We had to make a Tri-Shutter card.....you may have seen one of these cards on Splitcoast Stampers lately, here's the tutorial given by the card's creator, Bonnie S.....there's even a video to watch as well.

BTW, the card is not as complicated as you think by looking at it.....the hardest part is getting the folds in the right direction.



Above is the view of my card closed, and below is 2 photos of the card open.

Stamp credits: geisha by Stamp-It, fan by Stonehouse Stamps (I think!), Cherry blossom and word stamp by Stampin' Up.

Papers: Blush by Basic Grey, the crimson metallic paper has a flocked design and is by Christina Re Designs - this paper is really lovely in real life!

Also used: Nestabilities Label 4 dies, Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, holographic butterflies, Fiskars flower lace border punch and Kaiser rhinestones.

Hope you like my Oriental Tri-Shutter card.......please let me know what you think of it!

OSA Sketch Layout #16

This is my card for the OSA Sketch Layout #16.

The stamp is by About Art Accents, I've coloured it with Prismacolor pencils and used Odorless Mineral Spirits and paper stumps to blend the colour.

The paper is from the SEI Poppy 6 x 6 pad and I've added a gold peel-off. The kanji is the symbol for Beautiful.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Wintery blues.............and where have I been lately?

This is my card for the OSA card challenge #3. This weeks' theme is to use the colour blue. The stamp I've used is from a plate by Stonehouse Stamps, it's a large stamp and it's the 1st time it's seen ink as I didn't have an acrylic block large enough to fit it until recently. The background is done using the Technique Junkie Spritz and Flick technique, hopefully it looks like it's snowing! It's such a large stamp I've just added a dark blue card layer and some fibres before adhering to a light blue card.

....Can you guess where I am? That's me on the right with my daughter Hayley. This is such a direct contrast to my card above showing a cold wintery scene. Well, it's the middle of summer down here in Australia and boy is it hot!!

So, have you guessed where I am yet..........is that a tennis court in the background??

Yes, it is and we spent Monday and Tuesday at The Australian Open Grand Slam event. The player who is serving the ball is Marcus Bagdadis from Cyprus. He has quite a large following here in Melbourne by the Greek-Cypriot population - FYI the city of Melbourne has the largest Greek population outside of Athens!

I've been reading a number of blogs from the Northern Hemisphere who are suffering with blizzards, ice storms and generally being snowed in with bad weather......well it's just the opposite here. On Monday the temperature was 36 degrees centigrade (96.8 Fahrenheit), we thought that was pretty hot sitting out in the hot sun all day, but Tuesday's temp was 40.5 deg. centigrade (104.9 deg. Fahrenheit)! I did feel sorry for the poor players having to compete in those temperatures. We did eventually get a few clouds and a cooler breeze come through after 2pm though to make things a bit more comfy. It was so funny when the first cloud came over to give us all a bit of shade.......a collective "Aaaahh!" was heard by the whole crowd!

We both love our tennis and spend at least 2 days at the Australian Open each summer. I'm a bit pooped from the hot weather of the last 2 days though....must be getting old!

Hope you are having a great day where ever you are in the world!

OSA Design Challenge #1

OSA (Oriental Stamp Art) is celebrating it's 10th year as a group! As part of the year long celebrations this is the 1st of a year long card layout design challenge!
Here's my effort.

I've used a favourite stamp, Lynn Perrella's Acey Deucy "Calligraphy Robe" by Stampington. I've stamped it with Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and coloured it with Tim Holtz distress inks. The card is dark brown Bazzil, all the other papers are from the SEI poppy paper pad.